article

DALLAS – A joint Dallas City Council committee rejected a plan for Dallas police to partner with immigration and customs enforcement (ICE).

Police chief’s rejection and political fallout

Local perspective:

“I move that this motion be postponed indefinitely,” said Council member Adam Bazaldua.

That was the outcome of a meeting on Thursday by Dallas city council members, who support the Dallas police chief’s decision to reject federal funds in exchange for partnering with ICE. 

After Chief Daniel Comeaux rejected the offer, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said it should not have been his decision to make. That’s what led to the public hearing on Thursday.

“It’s not the program for us, it would not make Dallas any safer because we are already aggressively going against violent crime,” said Chief Comeaux.

Proposed 287-G Program

What we know:

Nearly 80 speakers signed up, overwhelmingly against the partnership proposal. 

If approved, Dallas police officers would have the authority to detain and transport people suspected of being in the country illegally on behalf of ICE. The 287-G program reimburses cities for the use of their officers. 

Chief Comeaux put the grant amount at $25 million, which he said would pay for the services of 250 police officers.

“The notion of entering a 287G agreement with the City of Dallas does not make sense, and it is purely political,” said Councilman Jaime Resendez. “Turning down the $25M decision was rooted in evidence and professional judgement, and it also happens to align with our values.”

Concerns over resources

Dig deeper:

Mayor Johnson was not at the joint hearing. ICE did send officials to testify and answer questions from council members.

Their lead representative disputed Comeaux’s dollar figure on the grant amount.

All council members were against the plan as well, saying it would remove officers from their main priority on the streets of Dallas.

“Why would I think about giving up so many officers that would not be able to respond when the people of Dallas call,” said Comeaux.

The Source: Information in this article was provided from a Dallas City Council meeting on November 6, 2025.

Dallas City CouncilDallas Police DepartmentDallasImmigration